ARLINGTON — An airport business owner’s allegations of financial impropriety at the Arlington Municipal Airport have prompted a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.

On Dec. 18 of last year, Kevin Duncan, owner of Arlington Flight Services, contacted the FAA with 25 claims of “significant financial misconduct” at the airport.

On Feb. 5, the FAA began corresponding with airport manager David Ryan about the matter, and requested that he respond to nine of Duncan’s allegations by March 27.

On April 1, Allen Kenitzer of the FAA confirmed that they had received Duncan’s informal complaint of federal grant assurance violations against the Arlington Airport. He also confirmed that the airport had responded to the complaint as requested. Kenitzer would only say the FAA is reviewing the response.

Neither Ryan nor city administrator Paul Ellis were able to offer any public comment as of press time.

The allegations that the FAA wrote to Ryan about included claims that the city:

1. Used airport funds for police, fire and EMS services.

2. Waived lease payments or late fees for some airport lessees.

3. Permitted residential use on airport property.

4. Improperly provided storage space for the Arlington Fly-In.

5. Allowed Bruce Angell and Barbara Tolbert to use airport property beyond that in their current lease without a new lease.

6. Used airport property to house city offices not related to airport operations, and to pay the salary of the community development director, whose duties are not solely related to airport operations.

7. Acted contrary to its land use, grant assurance and layout plan in its zoning and construction.

8. Allowed churches, schools, food banks, and other community or nonprofit groups to use airport property at reduced or no cost, or without a lease.

9. Acted contrary to grant assurance, airport revenues, and FAA policies and procedures in the lease and operation of the Arlington Airport Water Well.

Duncan has taken issue with the city supposedly not paying for water from the well at the airport.

He’s accused Tolbert of leasing property for not only half the amount of its actual area, but also half of what the appraiser approved, and also claims Tolbert has 10,000 square feet of storage that she uses for free, without a lease.

Duncan likewise expressed concerns with the multiple millions of dollars that he believes the city has been overcharged for police, fire and EMS services to the airport.

“All the airport tenants already pay property tax through the lease-holding tax, which is redistributed to the cities,” Duncan said. “The city is already getting paid to maintain those services at the airport, but it’s double-dipping by charging about a million dollars more.”

A recent state auditor’s report found a lack of oversight with the airport’s leases in 2013, but had no findings otherwise.

Check The Arlington Times for further updates on this story.